Shutter-fastener



(No Model.)

M. A. CUTTER.

SHUTTER FASTBNER.

N0. 337,746. Patented Mar. 9, v1886.

NITED STATES PATENT Price.

MARTIN A. CUTTER, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.

SHUTTER-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,746, dated March 9, 1886.

Application filed November 14. 1885. Serial No. 182,800. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN A. CUTTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galveston, in the county of Galveston, State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Blind-Fastenings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of devices used for securing window blinds or shutters in either an open or closed position. Heretofore these devices have generally been so constructed that the catch used to hold the blind open could be manipulated in such a manner as to free the catch which held them closed from the outside after the blinds had been closed, thus rendering it an easy matter for burglars or other evil-disposed persons to enter dwellings. Many inventions have been patented for iniprovementsin blindfastenings to remedy this defect; but,so far as my knowledge eXtends,t-hey have been of such a complicated construction as to soon become inoperative under the hard usage to which such devices are exposed, and have not,there fore, come into general use.

The object of my invention is to obviate these defects by constructing the device in such a manner that it shall be equal in strength to the ordinary fastenings, simple in construc tion, and therefore not liable to get out of order and become inoperative. To accomplish these results, 1 construct the fastening in the manner hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a front view of a window with one blind closed and the other open, both be ing provided with my improved fastening. Fig. 2 is a back side view of the fastening with the cap removed, showing the position of the bolt with relation to the other parts. Fig. 3 is aplan view of the same with the bolt removed,illustrating the position ofthe spring with relation to the case and other parts of the device. Fig. 4 shows the bolt removed from the case. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the catch attached to a window-sill. Fig. 6 shows a detail of construction.

A represents the blinds, and B the case containing the operative parts of the fastening.

O is the cover of the case, secured to the front of the case and screws into the upper part of the cover.

D is the bolt, provided with the common cham fered en d,which connects with the keeper and a downwardly-projecting pin, 1), which engages with the catch E, pivoted in the side of the case and employed to hold the blind, when open, by engaging with a hook or staple, a, secured at a proper point in the wall of the building. The inner end of this catch E is provided with a recess, d, which receives the pin 1) of the bolt, but upon which it can act only in one direction-that is, to force out the bolt. If moved in the opposite direction, it moves away from the pin, and has no eii'ect upon the bolt. Secured in a properly-shaped recess within the case is the plate-spring F, the free end of which bears against the side of the catch E opposite the recess d. It will therefore be apparent that the tendency of this spring is to force the end of the catch against the side of the case, so that in its normal position it will project from the same at right angles. It will also be seen that when the bolt is drawn back by means of thehandle G, attached to the bolt by rod 6, the projecting pin 1) will draw the catch with it against the tension of the spring; but when released the spring bearing against the catch will force the bolt outward.

A keeper, K, provided with a chamfered hook, g, is secured to the windowsill. in such a position that when the blind is closed the chamfered end of the bolt will strike the chamfered face of the hook g, forcing the bolt back until it has passed the point of the hook, when the spring F will cause it to move forward and engage the hook, thus holding the blind securely closed. If, now, the catch E on the outside of the blind be manipulated in an endeavor to release the bolt thereby, the only effect produced will be to compress the spring; but the bolt remains in place. On the other hand, when the blind is open and the catch in engagement with the hook or staple c, a pull upon the bolt causes the pin 1) to act upon the catch, swinging it upon its pivot and causing it to release the staple and allow the blind to be closed. A square-shouldered recess, 71, in

the bolt rides upon a projection, '1", of the case, the shoulder of the recess coming. in contact with said projection, preventing excessive 1ongitudinal movement of the bolt. A guide, 6,

' maybe attached to the blind to steady the rod ject to no accident but breakage, when the broken spring may be easily replaced by a new one.

As shown in the drawings, the case is secured to the blind by being inserted in are cess formed in its lower end with screws passing through the ears m and n, the ears m being embedded in the wood at the bottom and secured by screws, and the ear n upon the in side and also secured by a screw. Thus no part of the case or bolt is exposed upon the outside, and can only be reached from that side by cutting away the wood which covers it. It will also be seen that the working parts of the fastening are wholly inclosed in a strong and tight case, preventing disarrangement of its parts by the insertion of Wires or other implements from either the'inside or outside.

I do not broadly claim a spring-actuated swinging catch and its operating mechanism, as I am aware that shutter-fasteners have been heretofore constructed with swinging catches engaging with a keeper secured to the window-sill, said catches being actuated automatically in one direction by a spring and in the opposite direction by a handled rod.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following:

In a blind-fastening, the case, constructed as shown and provided with projection i, in combination with the bolt D, having recess h, the spring, the swinging catch, and the keeper secured in the window-sill, all arranged as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN A. CUTTER.

WVitnesses:

H. A. HALL, W. V. E. CHANDLER. 

